Help is available at your time and place.
Providing the same treatment as in-person therapy sessions. Telehealth Video Therapy Sessions are HIPAA-compliant, the simple & secure teletherapy solution.
It’s Convenient.
Communicate as often as you want and whenever you feel it’s needed. Start your video sessions today. No download required and all services are conducted via a HIPAA-compliant platform.
Often clients report barriers, concerns, or hesitations when considering using telehealth as a therapy office.
Reasons telehealth may be a good fit for you:
Including access, costs for transit and/or parking, vehicle dependability
Available when you are available—even during lunch hour
Including childcare, partner care, and eldercare
Including physical limitations, mental health limitations
Asking for time off work can be a challenge
Therapy is delivered in the comfort of your home – when and where you need it
Weather may be unpredictable. Who wants to commute?
No waiting room encounters
Ideal for victims of intimate partner violence or other safety concerns
When telehealth is not appropriate
Despite the benefits of utilizing telehealth, there are certain situations when telehealth may not be appropriate, these include:
- Complex mental health diagnoses; i.e., visual and/or auditory hallucinations, active substance use, recent suicidal or homicidal thoughts
- Those 17 years old or younger
- Those with poor Internet connection
Why telehealth?
Shifting the therapy office to a client’s space makes therapy portable, accessible, confidential, and comfortable. In turn, clients often report feeling more at ease, less stressed, and more apt to open up and, in turn, therapy is more effective. The benefits far outweigh any concerns for most clients, as accessibility to care drastically increases and cancellations drastically decrease. Therapy is delivered in the comfort of your home – when and where you need it.
How effective is telehealth?
Please read these articles:
Top 12 reasons for using telehealth.
Why Telehealth for Mental Health Care is Working
How Well Is Telepsychology Working?
Telehealth a lifeline for patient with substance-use disorders
The Future of Telehealth, Teletherapy and Telemedicine
Telemental Health Care, an Effective Alternative to Conventional Mental Care: a Systematic Review
The Board Certified-TeleMental Health Provider credential identifies those professionals who are uniquely trained in best practices for delivering traditional behavioral healthcare through technological means. BC-TMH credential holders have met nationally established telemental health criteria.
WHAT TO DO IN PREPARATION FOR YOUR VIDEO SESSION
Know
- We can meet only if you are in Texas because I am only licensed to practice in Texas.
Prepare Your Device
- Look over the Getting Started Guide: Telehealth by SimplePractice that was sent to you when you eSigned your documents.
- If you are using a Smartphone, you must first download the Telehealth by SimplePractice app—it is available for iOS or Android in the app store.
- For a laptop/desktop, you need an internet connection that is at least 10 mbps. You can use the Pre-call Tool to check your internet connection: tokbox.com/developer/tools/precall/ Also, I have found that connecting an Ethernet cable from my computer to my router helps with the internet.
- For laptop/desktop, you do NOT need to download anything. You will be sent a link to your email address or by text shortly before the session; just click on it and the session will begin. When you are ready, click Join Video Call. If I have already joined the call, you will see my face on the screen. If I have not, you will see yourself.
- If you have a choice, it is better to use a laptop/desktop rather than a mobile device for your session.
- It is best to use a Chrome browser. If you do not already have it on your computer, please download it. The second-best browser to use for the SimplePractice platform is Firefox. For either one, be sure that you are running the latest update.
Clearing Your History/Browsing Data
- Do this in CHROME before each session: Double-click on the Chrome icon > Click on the three dots in the upper right-hand corner > Click More Tools > Click Clear Browsing Data (make sure all 3 boxes are checked) > Click Clean Data > Close out
- If you are using FIREFOX, clear the cache this way: Click on the Firefox Icon > Hit Control + Shift + Delete simultaneously. Under History, check as many boxes as you can; Under Data, you can leave the two boxes unchecked > Hit Clear Now
During The Session
- It is best to have light coming from behind the computer screen if possible, as opposed to being behind behind you.
- Be in a suitable room that is quiet, private, and free of distractions.
- Dress appropriately as you would if you were attending a session at my office.
- Be alone unless I know in advance that someone else will be with you.
- Driving a vehicle is prohibited during our session.
- Sessions are not to be recorded.
- Avoid mind-altering substances prior to our session.
- It is best to not be eating during our time together; however, if you want to be holding your puppy, that is fine!